The Columbian. [volume] (Bloomsburg, Pa.) 1866-1910, 1887-04-08
MIG pLAzEAT BHuwrcx.
Odd Fellows HaII ana ~. Charles
Hotel burned.

Odd Fellows Hall at Berwick was q
large three story brick building ON Main
street, owned by the Berwick Odd Fellows
Hall Association. The first floor contain
ed three rooms, occupied respectfully by
the Gazette rinting Office, A. Miller's store
and J. Fishe,'s pool room. The second
floor contained public hall, and the third
floor was used by the Odd Fellows and
Knights Of Labor as a lodge room.
On last Saturday morning at about two
o'clock fire was discovered in the building
by a watcbmsn, and an alarm was sound.
ed and the firemen were soon on hand.
Berwick has water works, the water being
forced up the hill by pump at the river
and there is way Of shutting the water
off from the reservoir and turning the force
of the pump directly into the pipes, but
there was some delay IN doing this, and by
the time 1t was done, the fire had acquired
so much headway that II was impossible
to control IL. The fremen worked nobly,
and did all that could have been expected
OF them with the means at hand. The
borough owns about $50 feet OF hose, and
Jackson g. Woodin have thousand feet or
more which the borough is permitted to
use when needed.
AS near as could be seen by those first
on the ground the fire appeared to have
started in the cellar under the Gazette office.
This cellar was easily accessible from the
outside, and the general belief is that the
fire was the work of an incendlary. The
the Odd Fellows on regalia aud furniture
is about $500, with $500 insurance. The
building was insured for $7500. Fishers
loss is about $500 with no insurance. A.
Miller was moving, and had most OF his
| goods out, so his loss was about $500, nc
insurance The Gazette office was entirely
| demolished, insurance $500. The office
| books were burned so there is no way oi
telling what the loss will be in that way.
The building belonging to DIR. Little's
estate, occupied as drug store by Grove
g. Kisner, was badly damaged by the fall
ing walls of Odd Fellows Hall, which
crushed the back, wooden addition, and
broke down the roof OF the front part
which is two story brick. Emanuel
Frantz and William Wells we're on the rool
of the Little building when the walls came
crashing oyer on it, and narrowly escaped
with their lives. The stock of Grove &
Kisner was removed, and their loss is priu.
cipally on what was stolen by those who
seemed to be on hand for that purpose.
Between the hall and the st. Charles
Hotel was frame building owned by Mrs
II. II. Westler, which cost $1,000 The
first floor was occupied by Charles Haas as
a meat market, and the second floor was
connected with the hotel and used for bed.
rooms. This building caught from the
hall and burned down, and the flames ate
their way into the hotel and the interior
was Quilted, leaving the brick walls stand
ing. Charles Haas loss was $3.50 on {
large refrigerator, but he is covered by in
surance. The damage to the hotel is prop
ably $4,000, with $240O insurance. 1t il
the property Of Mrs. Westler. G. W
Klase, landlord of the St. Charles, got al
his house hold furniture out, but his los
on property damaged and stolen is heavy
Out Of nine cans Of lard, seven were.stolen
The bed clothing Of nine beds was carriet
off, several thousand cigars, large quan
tity of liquor, an overcoat belonging to
boarder, and may of his wife's clothes dis
appeared, and none Of them have beei
found. The fiends who attend fires for tn
purpose of despoiling their neighbors o
what they have been able to save from
burning building are too mean to be allow
ed to live in civilized community; and i
is to be regretted that the thieves at tn
Berwick fire were not detected so that tn
full extent of the law could be visited upo
them.
The hotel will be rebuilt soon, and til
Gazette will make its appearance again a
soon as arrangements can be made.